January 28 Rutgers Social Skills Program - Siblings Support Group pilots AFMW.(Piscataway, NJ)
February 18 Julie was a guest speaker and presented AFMW at the Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey - Special Needs Siblings Support Group. For further information about JFS, please see here. (Scotch Plains, NJ)
February 21 Julie presented AFMW to special needs babysitters at JCC training session "Learning to Babysit for Children with Special Needs". (Scotch Plains, NJ)
March 2016 AFMW is available for loan at the New Jersey Learning Resource Centers. (Trenton, NJ - East Orange, NJ - Morris Plains, NJ - Mullica Hill, NJ)
April 2016 AFMW is being used at the Child and Family Wellness Center at Bluegrass.org. (Lexington, KY)
April 2016 AFMW is being used at the Center for Child Development and Mental Health at the Jewish General Hospital. (Montreal, Canada)
April 30 Parent Forum and Opportunity Expo by The Arc of New Jersey. Complimentary copies of AFMW were available with a donation of any amount to The Arc of New Jersey. For further information about Planning for Adult Life at The Arc of New Jersey, please see here. (Newark, NJ)
May 1 Julie presented AFMW to middle school Girl Scout Troop # 21280. (Short Hills, NJ)
May 7 Parent Forum and Opportunity Expo by The Arc of New Jersey. Complimentary copies of AFMW were available with a donation of any amount to The Arc of New Jersey. (Lawrenceville, NJ)
May 7 Free Comic Book Day! Copies of AFMW were available at Satellite Comics & Games and at Dewey's Comic City. (Chatham, NJ & Madison, NJ)
May 2016 AFMW is being used at Plan NJ. (Somerville, NJ)
May 2016 AFMW is available at Maplewood Public Library. (Maplewood, NJ)
May 2016 AFMW is being used at Children's Specialized Hospital and is included in all of its resource libraries. (Mountainside, NJ and 12 other locations)
May 13 Julie and AFMW were featured in an article in The Item of Millburn and Short Hills written by Matthew Kadosh. To read it, please see here.
May 7, 14, & 21 AFMW was used at three separate Sibling Support Workshops for sibs 7 - 14 yrs old. These free workshops were offered by Sibs NJ at Community Choices, The Arc of Bergen and Passaic. For further information about Sibs NJ, please see here. (Fair Lawn, NJ)
May 21 Julie presented AFMW to elementary school Girl Scout Troop #22789. (Short Hills, NJ)
May 21 AFMW was used by SA SIBS (Eva's Heroes). (San Antonio, Texas)
May 22 AFMW Expanded Launch, Signing and Autism Speaks Fundraiser - Julie, together with AFMW comic book artists Petterson Oliveira, Dov Smiley and Vanessa Solis, appeared at Satellite Comics and Games in Chatham, NJ. Attendees received one complimentary copy of AFMW with a donation of any amount to Autism Speaks. (Chatham, NJ)
June 4 Parent Forum and Opportunity Expo by The Arc of New Jersey. Complimentary copies of AFMW were available with a donation of any amount to The Arc of New Jersey. (Denville, NJ)
June 5 Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey Gold Award Ceremony - Julie showcased AFMW at this event and received her official certificate and Gold Award pin for her work on AFMW. (Somerville, NJ)
June 6 Julie signed AFMW at the Lifetown groundbreaking on 6-6-16 at 6 pm. Complimentary copies of AFMW were available with a donation of any amount to Lifetown. For further information about Lifetown, please see here.
(Livingston, NJ)
June 11 Julie signed AFMW at Barnes & Noble as part of their first ever B-Fest Teen Book Festival. Proceeds from the sale of AFMW benefited Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey for inclusion initiatives. (Livingston, NJ)
June 11 Julie signed AFMW at A Little Shop of Comics. Proceeds from the sale of AFMW benefited Lifetown. (Scotch Plains, NJ)
June 16 AFMW was featured in the Representation and Health 101 column written by Allen Thomas on Comicosity.com. To read it, please see here.
June 2016 AFMW is being used by the New Brunswick Association for Community Living. For further information about NBACL, please see here. (Fredericton, Canada and 6 other locations in New Brunswick)
June 2016 AFMW is available at St. Paul's School (The British School of Sao Paulo) and Stance Dual School. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
June 23 Copies of AFMW were distributed by the Friendship Circle of Montreal at The Art of Friendship vernissage and will be used at sibling events. (Montreal, Canada)
July 2016 AFMW is available at Friendship Circle Sao Paulo. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
July 9-10 Garden State Comic Fest - AFMW artists Petterson Oliveira and Vanessa Solis appeared. Vanessa sold copies of AFMW in support of Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey inclusion initiatives.
July 17 AFMW Workshop - In collaboration with the Rutgers Social Skills Program and Shereen Bar-Or (MPS in Creative Arts Therapy from the Pratt Institute), Julie presented AFMW at a workshop where siblings also had the opportunity to create their own stories. (Piscataway, NJ)
August 6 AFMW was reviewed by Craig Neilson-Adams on Bigcomicpage.com. To read it, please see here.
August 7 Julie appeared at the East Hampton Pop-Up Comic Extravaganza. Proceeds from the sale of AFMW benefited Children's Specialized Hospital. To read about this event in the East Hampton Star, please see here. (East Hampton, NY)
August 2016 AFMW is available for loan at the Michigan State University Library. (East Lansing, Michigan)
August 2016 AFMW is available at Friendship Circle locations in Princeton (NJ), Woodcliff Lake (NJ), Manalapan (NJ), Brooklyn (NY), Montebello (NY), Dix Hills (NY), Sharon (MA), Philadelphia (PA), Pittsburgh (PA), West Hartford (CT), Potomac (MD), Northbrook (IL), New Albany (OH), Lone Tree (CO), Miami (FL), Charlotte (NC), Cary (NC), Glendale (WI), Richmond (VA), Newport Beach (CA), Studio City (CA), Palo Alto (CA), Redondo Beach (CA), Leeds (England), and Bondi Beach (NSW, Australia)
September 2016 AFMW is available at Friendship Circle locations in Cedarhurst (NY), New Rochelle (NY), and Phoenix (AZ).
September 16 Julie presented AFMW at La Casa De Don Pedro. (Newark, NJ)
September 17 Julie presented AFMW at a Sibshop offered through the Family Support Center of New Jersey. For more information about these Sibshops, please see here. AFMW is available at the Family Support Center of New Jersey. (Brick, NJ)
September 18, 2016 Julie participated in the "Teens Talk Service" panel presentation at the Morris County Jewish Festival. (Randolph, NJ)
September 25 Julie showcased AFMW at the opening of the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey museum. To read about it, please see here. (Westfield, NJ)
September 26 Julie presented AFMW to the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey. (Westfield, NJ)
October 1, 8 and 22nd AFMW was used at three separate sibling workshops for sibs 6-16 years old. These workshops will be offered by SIBS NJ in conjunction with The Arc Kohler School and The Arc of Union County. For further information about these workshops or to register, please see here. (Mountainside, NJ)
October 11 Girl Scouts USA has named Julie one of the 2016 National Young Women of Distinction. This is the highest honor awarded to Girl Scouts and only 10 girls are selected nationally each year. For the official GSUSA website and press release, please see here. For the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey press release, please see here.
October 15 AFMW was used at a sibling support group offered by The Arc of New Jersey at the Planning For Adult Life Parent Forum and Opportunity Expo. For details, please see here. (Somerset, NJ)
October 21 AFMW was showcased at the Montclair Center Art Walk.
(Montclair, NJ)
October 25 Julie appeared on the Perri Peltz radio show on Sirius XM. To listen to the audio, please see here. (New York, NY)
October 29 Julie presented AFMW at the GSUSA National Leadership Conference and received the honor of 2016 National Young Woman of Distinction. For a recording of this event, please see here. (Philadelphia, PA)
November 9 Julie presented AFMW at the School of Communication Disorders and Deafness at Kean University. (Hillside, NJ)
November 2016 AFMW is available at the Friendship Circle of Miami Beach and North Dade. (Miami, FL)
November 17 AFMW was used at What About Me? - A Parenting Workshop to Support Siblings of Children With Special Needs offered by Greater MetroWest ABLE. (West Orange, NJ)
November 18 AFMW was used at a Sibshop offered through the Centers for Exceptional Children. For further information about this program, please see here. (Winston-Salem, NC)
November 19 Julie participated in the Girl Scout Comic Artist Badge Workshop at the New Jersey Comic Expo. (Edison, NJ)
December 2 Julie presented AFMW to students in the Early Childhood Special Education Program at NYU Steinhardt. (New York, NY)
2016 National Young Women of Distinction
#NYWOD16
Nywod
Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey
Girl Scouts USA
Emotional Intelligence
Comic Book Therapy
January 2 Julie and AFMW were featured in an article in Youth Time Magazine written by Jelena Zoric. To read it, please see here.
January 9 Julie presented AFMW at a GSHNJ High Awards Workshop.
(Newark, NJ)
January 18 AFMW was used at a sibling support group offered by Jewish Family Services of Central New Jersey. (Elizabeth, NJ)
February 22 Julie presented AFMW at Liberty Corner School. (Basking Ridge, NJ)
March 11 Julie presented AFMW at the 2017 Annual Council Meeting of Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey. (Basking Ridge, NJ)
March 18 Julie presented AFMW to middle school Girl Scout Troop #20207. (West Orange, NJ)
March 20 AFMW was used at a workshop entitled The Sibling Experience offered by SIBS NJ and The Arc of New Jersey. (Washington, NJ)
March 24 Julie distributed AFMW at the annual meeting of the Academy of Special Needs Planners. (New Orleans, LA)
March 2017 AFMW is available at Stephen's Place. (Vancouver, WA)
March 30 AFMW was featured in an article on The Academy of Special Needs Planners website, specialneedsanswers.com. To read it, please see here.
April 2 Julie was the featured speaker at J-Serve, the International Day of Jewish Teen Service, organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest New Jersey. For further information about this organization, please see here. (Whippany, NJ)
April 2 Julie spoke about AFMW at a Career Day event for Bayonne Girl Scouts. (Bayonne, NJ)
April 5 AFMW was used at a SIBS NJ workshop entitled The Sibling Experience: Including Siblings in the Conversation. (Paramus, NJ)
April 17 The AXA Foundation has named Julie one of ten national AXA Achievers for 2017. For the official press release, please see here. For further information, please see here.
April 17 AFMW was distributed to participants in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Sibshop program. (Colleyville, TX)
April 19 Julie presented AFMW to high school Girl Scout Troop #20735.
(Livingston, NJ)
April 22 Julie appeared at Kids Comic Con. Proceeds from the sale of AFMW benefited Children's Specialized Hospital. For further information about this event, please see here and here. (Bronx, NY)
April 23 Julie presented AFMW to high school Girl Scout Troop #20145.
(Glen Ridge, NJ)
May 3 Julie presented AFMW at a SibConnection workshop. (Scarsdale, NY)
May 12 AFMW was used at an inclusion event offered by the Jewish Family Service and Children's Center of Clifton-Passaic. (Passaic, NJ)
May 13 Julie spoke about Girl Scouts and female empowerment at a GIRL Leadership Workshop in collaboration with Somebody's Daughter. (Elizabeth, NJ)
May 19 Julie presented AFMW to elementary school Girl Scout Troops #41314 and #40123. (Garwood, NJ)
May 20 AFMW was used at a sibling retreat organized by SIBS NJ, The Arc of New Jersey Family Institute and The Arc of New Jersey Planning for Adult Life program. For further information, please see here. (Clifton, NJ)
May 21 Julie was the keynote speaker at the 2017 Gold Award Ceremony for Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey. (Basking Ridge, NJ)
May 23 AFMW was used at a sibling support group (ages 8-12 yrs) offered by the Family Support Organization and the Sommerset Hills YMCA. This group is free and open to the community and will run until July 18th. For further information, please see here. (Basking Ridge, NJ)
May 24 Julie participated in a panel discussion at the Young Women of Vision Leadership Breakfast hosted by the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey council. For further information, please see here. (Basking Ridge, NJ)
May 29 Julie had a confabulation with Jamilah Rosemond of girlswithbeautyandbrains.com live on Facebook.
May 30 Julie was featured in a Girl Scouts USA blog post entitled "Tikkun Olam: Jewish Girl Scouts Give Back."
June 5 Julie presented AFMW at the Kew-Forest School. (Forest Hills, NY)
June 6 Julie spoke about Girl Scouts and AFMW at a GSHNJ Girl Leadership Summit. (Whitehouse Station, NJ)
June 9 Julie presented AFMW at Union City High School. (Union City, NJ)
June 2017 The Family Support Center of New Jersey is using AFMW in its ongoing Sibshops and Teen Sibshops. For further information, please see here. (Brick, NJ)
June 25 Julie presented AFMW at East Side Mags. (Montclair, NJ)
July 6 The Diller Foundation has named Julie one of fifteen Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award recipients for 2017. For the official press release, please see here.
August 2 Julie presented AFMW at GSHNJ Camp DeWitt. (Hillsborough Township, NJ)
August 7 Julie presented AFMW at GSHNJ Camp Hoover. (Newton, NJ)
August 20 AFMW is available at Palisades Medical Center. (North Bergen, NJ)
August 28 Julie represented AFMW at a celebratory luncheon in honor of the 2017 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award recipients. (San Francisco, CA)
August 2017 AFMW was used at S.H.A.R.E. SibShop Camp. (Midland, TX)
October 7 Julie spoke about Girl Scouts, comic books and AFMW on a panel at the Girl Scouts USA National 2017 G.I.R.L. convention. (Columbus, OH)
November 9 AFMW was used at a SIBS NJ workshop offered in collaboration with The Arc of New Jersey. (Newton, NJ)
November 11 AFMW was distributed to siblings at a S.H.A.R.E. SibShop program. (Midland, TX)
November 14 Julie presented AFMW to students at Bergen Community College. (Paramus, NJ)
Fall 2017 AFMW is available through the Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario. (Toronto, Canada)
Fall 2017 Julie served as co-leader of Girl Scout Troop #60630 for the full academic year. (New Haven, CT)
December 2 An article about AFMW was featured in the December issue of Millburn & Short Hills Magazine. To read it, please see here.
News - 2018
March 2 Julie presented AFMW to Girl Scout Troop #60630. (New Haven, CT)
March 9 Julie held an interactive comic book workshop with Girl Scout troop #60630. (New Haven, CT)
Summer 2018 Julie worked as a Communications/PR intern at national headquarters for Girl Scouts of the USA. (New York, NY)
August 2018 AFMW is being used at Sib4Sib workshops. Sib4Sib was founded by 2019 Diller Teen Tikkum Olam Award winner Jessica Goldberg. To learn more, see here (Farmington Hills, MI)
August 2018 Julie launched Yale Campus Girl Scouts as an official Yale student organization and Dwight Hall member group. (New Haven, CT)
November 4 Julie was awarded the Helping Hands Award from the Girl Scouts of Connecticut Council. (New Haven, CT)
News - 2019
March 2019 Copies of AFMW are now available at a special needs sibling support group through Eden Health clinic and psychology practice. (Salt Rock, South Africa)
April 6 AFMW was used at a Sibshop offered through Francis A. Desmares School. (Flemington, NJ)
April 12 AFMW was used at a Sibshop offered through The Arc of Atlantic County. (Egg Harbor, NJ)
July 10 Julie discussed AFMW with a sibling support group at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center. (New Brunswick, NJ)
October 17 Julie led an interactive comic book workshop with Girl Scout Troop #56001. (Elizabeth, NJ)
October 20 The organization Special Siblings used AFMW at an interactive sibling support workshop. Special Siblings was founded by 2019 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award recipient Katelyn McInerney. To learn more, see here. (Homewood, AL)
News - 2020
March 29 Julie spoke about AFMW on a youth activism panel at J-Serve 2020. (Short Hills, NJ)
September 9 AFMW was featured in the article "Supergirl: Blazing New Trails in Comic Book Therapy" on CircleAround.
November 11 Julie presented to over 100 Girl Scout Councils at the official launch of the Campus Girl Scouts Guidebook. As an intern in summer 2019, Julie proposed, formulated, and drafted the Guidebook as the organization's first comprehensive college engagement tool.
December 3 AFMW was used at a virtual Sib4Sib workshop. To learn more about Sib4Sib support groups, see here.
News - 2021
February 11 Julie discussed AFMW with a panel of teen siblings through the Ohio Center for Disability Empowerment. (Columbus, OH)
March 12 Julie and Yale Campus Girl Scouts were featured in a Yale Daily News article by Jordan Fitzgerald. To read it, please see here.
March 22 Julie presented AFMW to middle school Girl Scout Troop #60630. (New Haven, CT)
April 21 Copies of AFMW are now available through The International School of Geneva. (Geneva, Switzerland)
News - 2022
February 2022 AFMW was used at a support group for siblings of individuals with autism. (West Vancouver, Canada)
February 2022 AFMW was used to facilitate dialogue in a school. (Milwaukee, WI)
March 2022 AFMW was used at a SibShop support group. (Grand Rapids, MI)
Fall 2018-Spring 2022 Julie served as president of Yale Campus Girl Scouts and co-led New Haven middle school Girl Scout Troop #60630. Follow @yalegirlscouts on Instagram for more information. #adventuresfromourtroop (New Haven, CT)
Ongoing
April 2023 Julie served as a guest lecturer at the Yale School of Public Health and presented AFMW to the class "Humanities, Arts, and Public Health." (New Haven, CT)
December 2018-Present Copies of AFMW are available at LifeTown through the Friendship Circle organization. LifeTown is a 53,000 sq. ft. community center with social, therapeutic, and educational opportunities for individuals of all abilities. To learn more, please see here. (Livingston, NJ)
Additional Sibling Support Groups Sibshops offer sibling support groups across the US and internationally. For further information about a Sibshop near you, please see here.